A wireless device in communication with a communication network can receive media content over a wireless communication link and present the media content to a user. While the information comprising the media content can be downloaded to the wireless device before presentation, the devices and networks are also capable of beginning presentation of the information before the entirety of the information is transferred to the wireless device, sometimes called streaming or a progressive download. A wireless device capable of presenting information which is progressively downloaded typically uses local storage, such as a buffer or other memory capability, to store a portion of the information as it is received and to present the stored portion of the information from the local storage. Presentation of the stored information may stop, stutter, or be otherwise degraded when a presentation rate exceeds a rate at which the information is transferred to the wireless device and stored in the local storage. The amount of information stored in the local storage can vary depending on, among other things, available bandwidth, data throughput to the wireless device, the presentation rate of the information, as well as transport mechanisms which can be specified in a transport protocol used to transfer the information.
Overview
In an embodiment, a first portion of information is received and stored in a memory of a wireless device, the first portion of the information is presented while a second portion of the information is received, and a presentation rate of the first portion of the information is determined. A time until the first portion is completely presented based on the presentation rate and a size of the first portion, and a number of times that a packet retransmission criteria is met, are also determined. The packet retransmission criteria comprises a maximum permitted number of packet retransmissions. The maximum permitted number of packet retransmissions is adjusted based on the time until the first portion is completely presented and the number of times that the packet retransmission criteria is met.